www.OpEdNews.com
So... Howard is making some of the spine-challenged democrats
uncomfortable. That's exactly why we wanted him, because the
centrist democrats don't have the balls to say what needs to be
said. We knew when Dean was given the job, he'd be pushing the
envelope. Now he's doing it. The grousing from a handful of
democrats is actually a positive sign. If he was not getting some
complaints then he would be failing to meet our expectations for
speaking out-- truth to power.
There are a lot of elected Democrats who failed to vote against
the bankruptcy bill and who allowed the compromise that is putting
three of the most offensive judges in history into positions of
influence. The outrage and outcry should be about those gutless
wonder Democrats, not Dean.
We should use Dean's courage and independence as a kind of litmus
test for candidates for office. Will your candidate have the guts to
stand up to slimeball right wingers and theofascist right wing
fundamentalists, and treat them like the 21st century reincarnations
of KKK cretins that they are?
Will your candidate be willing to break loose from the hive
mentality of the congress and stand on his own. Will he be willing
to speak for you instead of the DCCC or the DSCC and backroom high
powered party operatives? If not, find another candidate.
Don't settle for less.
Here in Pennsylvania, we have a situation where, the word is,
Ed Rendell, for DNC chair and current governor, NY Senator Chuck
Schumer, Senate Minority Whip Harry Reid and financial heavy
hitter Peter Buttonweiser got together in a back room and worked out
a deal to coronate Bob Casey, Jr. whose daddy was a governor of PA,
to be "the" candidate to run against Rick Santorum. They persuaded
two of the highest probability candidates to withdraw fromt he race,
probably promising first dibs on Arlen Spector's senate seat if his
Cancer gets the best of him. Casey is the same guy who lost the
gubernatorial race that he was ahead 17 points a month before
the primary. He's won races that didn't require much public face
time. He's a party man and its hard to imagine him not making like a
Star Trek Borg, wiring his brain so he becomes another Democratic
drone with the hive mentality -- just a blue donkey version of the
red elephant hive/ obedience in lockstep mentality the Republicans
require on their side of the aisle.
Why would any Pennsylvanian want a guy who is so clearly owing so
much to the party? The mantra is that he has good name recognition--
right-- as a daddy's boy and the loser of a gubernatorial election
that he had a 17 point lead in.
I'm supporting Chuck Pennacchio,
who is a real independent who has proven his willingness to speak
the truth.
Thank God for Howard Dean and the reminder he provides for us
that a strong loud voice will not always be comfortable and cozy,
that it WILL make waves and will make the people who have been
letting us down with their failure to speak out uncomfortable. We
need to hear more of Howard scratching the chalk on the blackboard,
calling right wingers names. Each time he stretches the envelope he
makes it a little easier for the already elected, spine-challenged
democrats to speak out more strongly. Each time he gets flack, he is
also cutting through some bruck, opening new trails that the less
adventuresome, too comfortable democrats can then, more easily
travel.
When you hear someone complain about Howard Dean, straighten him
or her out. It takes guts and smarts to break new ground. He's doing
it for us. And if it's a right winger mocking Howard, laugh at him
or her and let him know you approve, that Howard's truth
shouldn't be comfortable for him.
